NHAI takes over construction of 2 major expressways in Raj

Time of India

2 days ago

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Jaipur: The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) will now construct two major expressways in Rajasthan—the greenfield Jaipur-to-Pachpadra and Bikaner-to-Kotputli highways—which were initially planned by a state govt agency following the last budget announcement.
Both routes were considered among the most feasible due to their existing high traffic volumes. The state govt proposed the construction of the 350-km Jaipur-to-Pachpadra expressway at an estimated cost of Rs 11,492 crore. This expressway was to pass through Kishangarh, Ajmer, and Jodhpur. However, the project is now taken over by NHAI. Similarly, NHAI will also undertake the construction of the 295-km Bikaner-to-Kotputli expressway, originally estimated to cost Rs 10,839 crore.
An NHAI official said these two highways are part of nine newly announced expressway projects. While the Jaipur-to-Pachpadra route was already handed over to NHAI, the Bikaner-to-Kotputli expressway is now also transferred.
"Once complete, the Bikaner-to-Kotputli expressway will reduce the current travel distance by only 45 km but will cut travel time from six hours to just three, owing to higher vehicle speeds on the expressway.
It will also significantly improve connectivity to cities like Noida, Gurugram, Delhi, and Agra–Mathura. At present, travel from Bikaner to Kotputli via the existing highway takes around six hours to cover 340 km," the official said.
Another official added, "The direct connectivity to Pachpadra will also reduce existing travel time, as the new highway will be shorter. At present, the distance is 426 km and takes around 7.5 hours."
The projects are expected to be developed under the Hybrid Annuity Model (HAM), introduced by the Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways in 2016. The HAM model combines elements of Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) with Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT), and includes long-term Operation and Maintenance (OM) responsibilities. It is considered an upgraded version of the traditional Public-Private Partnership (PPP) approach.
An official said, "Under this model, the contractor is responsible for the design and construction of the road, while the govt provides up to 40% of the project cost in instalments during the construction phase. The remaining investment is recovered by the developer through toll revenue after the completion of the road."